564 TROPICAL HYGIENE, SANITATION, ETC. 



The fo'iloiving remarks may prove useful: An average diet to 

 nourish an adult male not engaged in hard work should be :^ 



Protein, 70 to 80 grm. per diem 

 Carbohydrate, 300 to 400 grm, per diem 

 Fats, 25 to 50 grm. per diem 

 Salts and vitamines 



\^ariety and laste are not here considered. 

 A menu could be made up as follows : — 



The total average weight of solid food is about 40 to 50 ounces 

 daily. 



To this is added water 50 to 80 ounces daily. 



A man consumes daily ^f^o of his weight of dry solid food and r^o 

 of his weight as water. 



Women require 10 per cent, less than men, children of ten years of 

 age half as much as a woman. 



During a fair day's work the energy expended equals one-fifth 

 mechanical labour and four-fifths heat. 



Death ensues when the tissue loss is about 40 per cent, of the 

 normal bodv weight. This is from starvation only. 



The common ground nut (Arachis hypogea) would be a good food 

 if one could digest all one could consume, as it contains : — 



Of proteins, 24*5 per cent.; of fatty oil 50 per cent.; of other 

 nitrogenous matter iry per cent.; salts i'8 per cent.; water 7*5 per 

 cent.; fibre 4'5 per cent. 



The sov bean (Glycine soja) contains in comparison proteins 35'3 

 per cent.; fatty oil i8'9 per cent.; other nitrogenous matter 26 per 

 cent.; salts 4'6 per cent.; water 11 per cent.; fibre 4*2 per cent. 



The cassava plant is a common food in the tropics. Of it there are 

 two varieties, viz. : the sweet (Manihot aipi) and the bitter (Manihot 

 utilissima). The latter contains a small amount of prussic acid in its 

 milkv juice, which is dissolved out when meal or tapioca is made from 

 it. The latter (tapioca) contains 86 per cent, starch. 



The chief native foods are cereals, e.g., rice, maize, millet, &c., 

 all deficient in fat and protein which is somewhat compensated for 

 by the pulses and the beans. 



Dry rice when boiled absorbs four times its weight of water. 



Its progress through the stomach is slow, the latter being some- 

 what distended bv it for several hours. Its starch is well digfested in 



